Chasing the Sun

A Celestial Tale

Summary

For as long as there was the sky, there were the sun and moon. The sun gave the world warmth with its light during the day, and during the night the moon would offer its light to those who needed it. Yet the sun would sometimes see the moon in the sky during the day, leaving without an explanation. It wouldn't happen often, but when it did the moon was always silent in her passage across the sky.

One day, the moon stepped in front of the sun and partly blocked the world's light. When the sun protested, she quickly fled the sky. After some time it happened again, and again the moon fled from the sky. The sun was confused, for he thought there was no troubles between them. He had always been content to follow the moon through to daylight, but now it felt as though she were trying to share the sky with him. The next time, the sun took hold and kept the moon before him to force her to answer a question.

"Why is it you follow me into the day? Is it not enough to have the night for yourself? Are you truly so selfish?"

"My lord of the sky." She bowed her head and spoke softly. "I am alone in the sky, every night. I grow lonely. I yearned to not just share your light at nights, but to see you during the day."

The sun was shocked, and released his hold. She fled the sky, and with her backwards glance he understood she was chasing him and their times together would be rare. As intense as they could be between each other, the world would need it to be brief. Otherwise, the light would be blocked from those who needed it.

Two who shared a love for each other, but must remain apart.

Variations & Mutation

The basic form of the myth is said to pre-date the Rhyliss Imperium and the cults which eventually became the Twelve Orders. When the pantheon was put together from twelve cults brought together, the myth was altered to more closely adhere to the beliefs of the new pantheon. Apira Horizos and Velei Delune were respectively used as anthropomorphizations of the sun and moon, and the story changed to suit the view of the gods as people rather than abstracts.

Other religions which have the same basic myth have changed it slightly, while keeping a similar tone. Some of these variants alter the genders of the moon and sun (or removing them altogether). Others change the relationship to a child and parent, or siblings. Some cultures which are more martial-minded have rewritten it to be a flow of battle instead, which cannot have a clear winner.

Retort of Night

"Are we talking about that story again? That's a story told by the cult of Horizos, which was folded into the Order of the Sun's teachings centuries ago when the Lady's followers were considered... unclean. To speak politely, which I am struggling to in this moment."

— Irine, Nightmistress of the Order of the Moon

Interestingly enough, the Order of the Moon has a different story to tell about this myth. According to many members who are initiated into the order, this story is not something the followers of Velei Delune told. It was a wholesale creation of followers of the Lord of the Sun, meant to reinforce how the sun was a greater presence in the world than the moon. Most sects following the Lady of Night's Embrace instead want to emphasize how the differences are not a matter for judgement. While it might be expected for there to be an 'alternate version' of the myth, the Order of the Moon does not have one and simply rejects the message of the existing one.

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